Yarn-winding machinery



Sept. 2, 1952 w. H. KIMPTON YARN-WINDING MACHINERY 5 Sheets-Sheet l Fiiald 0M... 3, 1946 MIMI/70R rm A mm Y5 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. H. KIMPTON YARN-WINDING MACHINERY mQnN mm mm mm Sept. 2, 1952 Filed Oct. :5, 1946 2, 1952 w. H. KIMPTON 2,609,156

YARN-WINDlNG MACHINERY Filed Oct. 3, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 2, 1952 YARN-WINDING MACHINERY William Harry Kimpton, Wilmslow, England, as-

signor to Celanese Corporation of America, a

corporation of Delaware Application October 3, 1946, Serial No. 700,985 In Great Britain October 8, 1945 This invention relates to yarn-winding machinery and particularly to pirn-winding machinery, and is especially concerned with an automatic pirn-winding machine of the kind described in U. S. Patent No. 2,306,268 of December 22, 1942, in which, when a pirn has been completed, it is automatically removed from the winding position and replaced by an empty pirn tube on which the winding of the fresh pirn proceeds.

The machine described in U. S. Patent No. 2,306,268 of December 22, 1942, is a spindleless machine, in which the pirn tube instead of being mounted on a long spindle passing through its axis, is gripped between two centres engaging with the ends of the tube, one of said centres being driven so as to rotate the tube. When the winding of a pirn is completed, the other centre is moved axially so as to release the completed pirn and allow it to drop away from the winding position and, before the centre so moved is returned, a fresh pirn tube is lifted by means of a pair of swinging arms into a position in alignment with the centres so as to be gripped on the return of the moving centre. This machine is adapted for the winding of pirns on pirn tubes of a particular length, but it has now been found that the machine can be modified so as to wind pirns of any length within a substantial range.

According to one feature of the present invention, therefore, an automatic spindleless pirnwinding machine adapted for the winding of pirns of different lengths comprises an inner centre, an outer centre adjustable relatively thereto and adapted in co-operation therewith to grip a pirn tube, two tube-feeder or lifter members adapted to transfer a pirn tube from a magazine into alignment between the centres, one of said members being adjustable in accordance with the position of said adjustable centre, and magazine means adaptable for pirns of any length, for accommodating a series of empty pirn tubes of which the end tube is within the range of action of said lifter members. By these means the machine can be adapted to wind pirns of any length within a substantial range, and to accommodate the pirn tubes on which such pirns are to be Wound.

A convenient arrangement for lifting a fresh pirn tube into alignment with the centres comprises a horizontal shaft (i. e. parallel to the axis of the pirn being Wound) carrying a pair of depending levers, the lower ends or feet of which are adapted to engage the lowest pirn tube in amagazine containing a series of such tubes 5 Claims. (Cl. 242-32) 2, one above the other. The feet are shaped so as to lift the lowest pirntube out of the magazine and into alignment with the centres and, when the tube has been gripped by the centres, to withdraw and leave the pirn tube in the winding position. Since the shaping of the feet so as to leave the pirn tube in this position is apt to give insufficient control over the lowest tube in the magazine in the idle position of the arms, i. e. during the winding of a pirn, it is a further feature of the invention to provide movable claws mounted on the feet of the lifter arms and adapted, in the idle position of such arms partly to embrace the lowest pirn tube in the magazine and prevent its dislodgment. When the lifter .arms are raised, however, the claws swing downwards thereon and allow the transfer of the pirn tube to the centres without interference.

One of the lifter arms engages an empty pirn tube near the base thereof, and this arm is fixed on the horizontal shaft by which the arms are actuated. The outer arm is arranged so that it can be adjusted along the length of the shaft, to correspond in position with the outer centre when the latter is adjusted in order to adapt the machine for the winding of a different length of pirn. The actuation of the shaft is conveniently effected at a position thereon between the two arms and out of range of the movement of the outer or adjustable arm.

It is necessary that the traversing and chasing mechanism of the machine should be such as to give a potential traverse, i. e. the steadt movement along substantially the whole length of the pirn, over a distance suflicient for the building of the longest pirn in the range to be handled, the outer end of such potential traverse distance being unused when pirns of less than the maximum length are wound. It is also necessary, in order to Wind pirns of dilferent lengths, that the period of winding at the end of which the pirn is released and a fresh pirn tube supplied, should be adjustable. however, is normally provided in pirn-winding machines, whether automaticor not, in order to adapt them for the winding of yarns of different thicknesses.

The adjustment of the outer centre may be effected by any convenient means conforming with the means employed for moving the centre in order to release a completed pirn. It ispreferable that the latter movement should be efiect-' ed by mounting the centre on the end of a pivoted arm lying generally at right angles to the axis Such adjustment,

of the pirn being wound. In this case the position of the inner centre may be adjusted by adjusting the pivot of the lever which carries it, the lever being connected to its actuating means by a chain or link that is replaceable by one of difierent length when the length of pirn is to be changed. Alternatively, where an outer centre is mountecionva spring-loaded plunger as, described in U. S. Patent No. 2,306,268 the plunger may be carried on a vertical pillar, the base of which is secured in a slide along which it can be adjusted. The former means are generally preferable as economising in, space-at. the front of the machine and enabling the maximum lengthof pirn to be increased Without increasing the space occupied by the machine.

The automatic doffing and donning.- mechanism as modified in accordance with the present in vention can be built as a unit independentoi the spindle-drivirr and traverse-operating mechanism and may therefore-bereadily applied to existing; designsof; nonrautomatic pirn-winding lIlELChiIlES; \Vith little structural modificationand without alteration of. theebasic method of :operating the machine; Although each mechanism operates independently; it-is convenient to drive a plurality of the mechanisms. by=common means, which enables the invention to-be readily-applied to the usual type of pirn winding -machine-having twoor more spindleunitson :a common frame.

Rig. ,2 is a. plan view of the mechanism shown ln Fflgql Fig. 3 is va rear end elevation; of themechanism, i. e. as ,viewedfrom. the standard; gear box Figs. land 5 are details-ofjthe-cam-shaft clutch mechanism Fig.; 6\ is a; sectional; view'showing the cam:

shaft starting and: stopping; mechanism and the pirn releasewmechanism Fig. 7 is a'sectional detail oftl-iepirn tube lifting mechanism Fig. 8 shows-the: yarn; guide resetting. mechanism, and.

Fig. 9 is a sideelevation of :thecam shaft of the machine; showin the. cams: and ithe clutch elementsthereon.

Referring to-l igs. 1 and L2,: i'isthe-gearboxofa-Universal ,No. 90 ,pirn-windingmachine, which is usually: arranged to driveetwmspindles side by si e-thou h y n is-- hown.,. Theyboxrl contains-twoclutches in association witheachspine dle,: onefor,drivingthespindle itself and the other for, actuating the traverse mechanism. As the use made, for the purposes of :thepresentinvention,- of the; mechanism withinthe gearbox does notinvolve any modification ;of, said mechanisms it is not necessaryto describe the-internal. arrangements of the box. It is desirable howeverto. describe ,briefly the main external elements of the ,pirnewinding mechanism toqwhich the invention is applied.

Inthe "spindle type of machine-the spindle emergesfrom the box i atYZ and is of sufficient length to penetrate through the pirn tube. For

thepurposes of the presentinvention however the spindle is cut oil and is represented only by a blunt point or driving centre 3 emerging from a collar 4, which is faced with rubber to provide a driving connection with the base of a pirn tube. The other end or tip of the pirn tube enters, and is supported by a rotary cup 5 mounted in an outer. bearing Parallelmtoithe position .of the pirn-tube between the centre 3 and the cup 5 is a traverse bar 1 operated from within the box I to execute a short to and fro traverse motion along the length of the pirn to be wound. The side of the bar 1 adjacent to the pirnposition is threaded, as shown at S in-Fig z the other; half of the bar being plain asshown;,at;9 in;Pig. 2. A feeler disc [0 is carriedonthe bar, the bore of the boss H of the discrzbeing.screw-threaded to correspond with the threads 18" but being enlarged so that the boss and-disc can be pressed to one side (towards the pirn) so as to be freed from the threads 8. Durins; Winding, the, threadLis built up on the nose of the pirn and. from time. to time, as the bar 1 is traversed, driving contactis established be tween thedise ifl-andthe yarn on the pirn. In consequence'thedisc; isrotated slightly on the rod land, is driven slightly alongthe rod. In this way, thethrcad guide, 12 which is mounted on a carriage B and connected-thereby to the disc H) is gradually carried towards the tip of the pirn tube as the winding of the pirn proceeds. When the 'pirn has reached a predetermined length the normal stop mechanism provided within the box operates to release. a starting and stopping lever lit by means of which the ,two clutches within the box aredisengaged to stop the rotation of the point- 3. and, c0llar 4 and the operation of the traverse-rod i'.

The winding and? traverse arrangements described,above -are:normal-(except for the cutting off of the spindle) andoncewinding has been started on-apirn tubewilljaffect the completion of-thepirn-in a'normal manner. The modification of the-mechanismin which the present invention resides. relates.- tothe arrangements by which:the machineis madeadjustable to deal with'pirns-ofdifierent'lengths and to the automatic --carrying; out of the operations of replacing the =completed1pi-rn by an empty pirn tube and,-restartingofthe machine for the winding of afresh pirn-.- These. operations are efiected, after they spindle and the;- traverse. mechanism have been-stopped-by the rotation through a single revolution of-.a camshaftlfi'carrying a number of 'cams The cam shaft-.lfiv-which,with the cams thereon and the elements; of the clutch by which it is driven is'shown in sideelevation in Fig. 9, is carried. inbearingsrima lug H- and an end plate l8- projectingdownwards; beneath a plate or bracket. i9rsecurcd1 to,the lower part of the front of the gearbox ;i and-lying beneath the position occupied -by;,apirnidulfingwinding. The plate I 9 carries not only; the camshaft lfiand the various cams mounted thereon; but also .the mechanism operated by said camsfoiy replacing the completed pirn by; an empty, pirn. tube and restarting the windingoperation. The cam shaft 16 ismounted in horizontally slotted bearings in which it isretained.by.removable blocks 20 (Figs. 1 and 7), the -,-various levers; co-operating with the cams on the-shaft-beingso arranged that the shaft can be read-i-lyg'removed-without disturbing the levers.-

Beneath the cam shaft iG-and at right angles thereto is a driving shaft 2| arranged to serve a series of spindles, say 10 or 20 in number. Beneath each spindle the shaft 2I carries a worm 22 engaging with a worm gear 23 freely mounted on the cam shaft I6. A clutch between the worm gear 23 and the cam shaft enables a connection to be made between the constantly running shaft 2I and the cam shaft I6 when the winding of a pirn is completed.

The clutch is of the type described in U. S. Patent No. 2,176,970 of October 24, 1939, and is shown in the engaged and disengaged positions respectively in Figs. 4 and 5. The clutch is en gaged by the motion of the starter handle I5, the free end of which is turned downward through a right angle as shown in Fig. 2 and is connected by means of an adjustable link 24 to a lever 25 (Figs. 3 and 6) mounted beneath the bracket I9. The other end of the lever 25 carries a pin 26 (Fig. 6) engaging beneath a lever 21 secured to a shaft 28 carried in bearings beneath the edge of the plate IS. The shaft 26 carries a further lever 29 by means of which the cam-shaft clutch is normally held out of engagement. On the completion of a pirn however the starting handle I and link 24 rise so that the pin 26 and lever 21 fall and the free end of the lever 29 moves away from the cam shaft I6.

The clutch, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a disc 36 secured to the worm gear 23 and provided with four semi-circular notches equally spaced around its periphery. Close to the disc 36 is a disc 32 secured to the cam shaft I6, the disc 32 having pivoted to the face thereof adjacent to the disc 36, a substantially tangential lever 33 and a substantially radial lever 34. The free end of the lever 33 projects sideways across the periphery of the disc 36 and is shaped to fit the notches 3 I. The lever 33 however is spring-loaded outwards so that the end of the lever tends to disengage from the periphery of the disc 36. The lever 34 extends past the lever 33 and its free end is bent over so as to engage the outer side of the lever 33 which is shaped so that as the end of the lever 34 moves towards the end of the lever 33 it forces the lever 33 inwards against the periphery of the disc 36. The lever 34 is loaded by means of a spring 35 strong enough to overcome the spring loading of the lever 33. During the winding of a pirn, however, the lever 29 engages the lever 34 and prevents it from forcing the lever 33 against the edge of the disc 36. When the lever 29 is swung away from the shaft I6 on the completion of a pirn, the lever 34 engages and urges in- I wards the lever 33 so that, in the rotation of the disc 36, the next notch in the periphery thereof is engaged by the end of the lever 33 so connecting the disc 36 to the disc 32. In this way the cam shaft I6 is set in motion.

The first effect of the rotation of the shaft I6 is to permit the discharge of the completed pirn. This is done (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) by moving outwards the outer bearing 6 and the cup 5 by means of which the pirn is pressed against the spindle point 3. The outer bearing 6 is carried on the upper end of a lever 31 which isv loaded inwards by means of a spring 38 (Fig.6) to enable the cup 5 to hold the pirn tube against the spindle point 3. The lever 31 is connected by means of a chain 39 to the upper end of a lever 46 pivoted at II on the end plate I8 beneath the bracket I9. The lever 46 carries a cam follower 42 engaged by a cam 43 on the cam shaft I6, by means of which the lever 46 and thereby also the lever 31 are withdrawn to release the complete pirn. The lever 31 is pivoted at I06 in a slot IDI along which the pivot I60 may be adjusted by means of a nut I62.

In this way the position of the outer bearing 6 can be adjusted to take pirns of any length allowed within the range of the length of the slot IOI. At the same time the chain 39 is shortened or lengthened to suit the new position of the pivot I60. A plate I03 (Figs. 2, 3 and 6), moving with the pivot I60, is provided to which the lower end of the spring 38 is fixed.

The cam 43 is a dual purpose cam, having a shaped projection 44 (Figs. 1, 6 and 9) on the face thereof for engaging the cam follower 42 and a projection 45 on the edge thereof (Fig. 6) for engaging a cam follower 46 carried by the lever 25 for a purpose to be described hereafter. The completed pirn released by the retraction of the cup 5 in a manner described drops through a hole 41 in the plate I 9 and is received and guided away by means of a chute 48 (Fig. 1).

v As the completed pirn drops through the hole 41 the yarn being wound thereon extends from the nose of thepirn to the yarn guide I2. It is necessary that this portion of the yarn should be cut and that the end still attached to the source of supply should be secured to the next pirn for winding to continue. At the same time the yarn guide I2 must be returned to the neighbourhood of the driving centre 3so as to begin the winding of the next pirn at the base thereof. This is done by means of a lever 56 the upper end of which engages with a small bell-crank lever 5| on the yarn guide carriage I3 (Figs. 1 and 2), the bell-crank lever being connected by a rod 49 to the boss II of the feeler disc ID. The lever 56 is swung counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 1 and 8 by means of a cam 52 on the cam shaft I6. The cam 52 engages with a cam feeler 53 on the end of a lever 54 secured to a shaft 55 the other end of which carries a gear segment 56. The gear segment 56 engages with a gear segment 5'! secured to the lever 56, a pin and slot connection 58 being provided to enable the final position of the lever 50 to be accurately adjusted. As the lever 56 is swung over by the cam 52, the upper end of the lever 56 engages the bell-crank lever 5I which disengages the feeler wheel II] from the screw threads 8 on the traverse rod I, after which the continued movement of the lever 56 pushes the thread guide carriage I3 to its starting position close to the driving centre 3.

In order that the lever 56 may deal with pirns of different lengths its maximum range of movement is made sufficient to deal with the longest pirn. When shorter pirns are wound, the first part of the movement of the lever 56 is idle. In order to give the end of the lever 56 a substantial linear motion without unduly increasing its angular motion, the lever is.pivoted well below the cam shaft I6, the gear segments 56, 51 reaching downwards from the level of the shaft I6 to the pivot of the lever.

At the same time as the lever 56 returns the yarn guide I2, the length of thread extending from the completed pirn to the guide I2 is engaged by a light lever 60 the end of which is bent horizontally at 6| so as to ensure the proper engagement of the thread. The lever 66 is secured to a triangular plate 62 mounted on a spindle 63, the plate being slotted at 64 to receive a pin 65 projecting from the end of a lever 66 secured to the shaft 55. Thus as the lever 50 is swung over by the rotation of the shaft 55 it takes with it the light lever 66. The end 6| of the lever 66 brings the thread extending from the thread guide I2 to a point i mediately below thedriving centre-3650. that the. thread crosses the rubber-faced collarsfl; and is ready' to besevered'so. as to releasezfroin the-.source, of

the supply; of yarn the :pirn which:has just .been.

wound.-

Severing. of the thread iseffected' (Figs. 1, 2.

the pirn just wound, while the upper plate TI is rounded off so that the end of the thread is nipped between the knife 68 and the upper plate 1! and is held across the face of'the driving centre 3. The motion of 'the knife 88 is effected by means of a disc '12 carried on the lower end of the shaftfifibeneath the plate I9. The disc l2is connected by means of two metal bands 73 to a further disc 14 (Figs;- 2 and 3) from the edge of which projects an arm 15 connected by a powerful'spring 16to a pointbeneath the plate i9: Aipin TI projecting downwards from the arm engages with the working edge of an end *cam- 'm'carried on the shaft It; No adjustment ofcthe. gripping and'cutting arrangements is necessary for winding pirns of different lengths.

The completed pirn' having been released by the retraction of the cup 5' and cut from the source of supply of yarn, and the cut end from the source of 'supplyhaving been gripped between the vknife 88 and the upper plate 1!, an empty pirnis next positioned between the driving centre 3 andthecupi. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, Sand 7, two-upstanding pillars 19. (won the'plate IS carry between them a magazine 8! for-containing'aseries of .empty pirn tubes. Fixed to the backiof theimagazine 8! are apair of spring strips 82-which extend downwards towards the bottom of the. magazine and there turn substantially at right angles so as to enter the magazine for the purpose. of supporting the series of pirn tubes during the delivery of a new pirn tube to the winding position. The magazine 8! is designed. for a'particular length of pirn tube, and when pirns ofdifferent lengths are wound, a new magazine of appropriate size is substituted between the. pillars 19', 80;! The spring strips 82 may be removed from the-old magazine and rehlaced on thenew one.

Mountedon bearingszfit on the'two pillars 78', 553 is a horizontal :shaft 84 extending behind the magazine: 8i andzcarrying: a. pair of depending leverst; The levers 85; 86 are disposed outside tlie..1in1its of 'theinagazin'e 8|, between the ends thereof andthe pillars l9, 3?]. The lower endsofthe levers .arecranked inwards beneath the magazine as shown at 81 in Fig. 1,- and. carry shaped-feet-t 89 within .the magazine to receive the lowest pirn-tube in, the series carried by the magazine. The lever 85 is permanently fixed to. the shaft 84-,- in the-neighbourhood or line of the inner or driving centre 3.- ThegleverBG; however, is ad'dstable. along theshaft 13 3 1111 accordance with the size of the magazine .85 and the length of the pirn being wound-.the set-screw 86 which holdsthe lever 86-pin fixedrelation to the shaft 8- 2 being released for this purpose.

The lowest tube-ismaintained in the magazine SI by means of .a-pairofclaws 90 (Figs. 3 and '7) pivoted at}?! near theends'of the feet 88, 89 and resting on theplate 19. The tips of the claws 99 extend'upwardsso. that they partly embracethe.

lastpirn inthemagazine andprevent it from. beingdislodged. The-levers 85, as are swung forward, so as toposition the pirn carried by the. feet 88, 89- thereof between the centres 3, 5, by

means of achain 32; which is secured at itsupper end to-a sector 93 carried by the shaft 84 'and'at its lower end (Fig. 7) to a lever 95 mounted'be neath the plate [9. The sector 93 is clear of the innermost position-of; the lever 86, occupied by thelevertfi-when winding on the shortest pirn tubes thatthe centers 3, 8 arecapable of accommodating, so; that the sector 93 does not impede the adjustment. of the lever 86'; The lever. 95 carries a cam follower tit-which engages an edge camlll on the shaft [6. (Fig. 7). As the feet 88, 89 areswung forwardgandrupwards to bring. the

new 'pirrrtube into. position, the claws 99 swing.

downwards-as. shown in Fig. 7. At the same time the springs E52, thelower. endsof which are engaged by the headsof the screws 9! on which the claws 99' are pivoted; swing forward so as to supportthe empty pirn tubes remaining in the mag,- azine. When-the feetflt, 89- have positioned the empty pirn tube between the centre 3 and the cup 5, the cam 23' allows the lever it and the lever 3'! to return to winding position so that theouter bearing 3' andthe cup.5 engage thetip of. the empt pirn tube and nip the base of. the pirn-tube againstthe rubber-facing of the driving centre 3; After this thejlevers 85, 86' swing back into'the magazine, pushing back the springs 82 and allo ing the. remaining empty pirn tubes .to. drop so that a new pirn tube is engaged by thefeet 88; 83 and claws S8; Atabouttthe same time the end cam 78 act-son the. pin ill so. towithdraw the knife 58- and release the. end-pf the'yarn, which is now secured between thebase of :the .pirn tube and .the rubber pad 'of-the driving centre 3.

The projection 45011 the edgeof the. cam'43: now acts on the cam follower. 45 so as to swing the lever 25 upwards and, through the-link 24, to move the starting handle IE' to starting position; Winding of the new pirn then proceeds.

The cycle of operations effected by therotation of the cam shaft [6 maybe briefly summarized as follows. of the winding of a pirn, at which stage the:normal mechanism of the gear box 1 stopsthe rotation of the driving center 3 and causes the free end of the starter handle 5 to rise. This, through the. lever 25. (Fig. 6)'causes.the pin 25 to drop and allows the shaft 28' and lever 29.'to rotate- This allows the clutch connecting the cam shaft [5 to the worm 221 to engage and sets the shaft I6 inrotation. The-projection M on the cam 63 aotsthrough the levers 31, 40 towithdraw the outer center 6} allowing the completed pirn to drop into the chute 48. The cam 52 then swings the lever 58- and the lever SD-towards the driving center 3 returning the traverse guide l2 to the starting position and causing the yarn passing through the traverse guide to enter between the knife blade 68 and the'cooperating plates 10, "H. The cam 18 then swings the blade 68 into engagement with the plates 10, ll cutting the thread beneath plate Ill so as to releasethe. completed pirn and gripping the other end of the thread against plate H; The cam 52 then allows the levers 50, 6D to return, and the cam 95 causes thelevers 85, to swing upwards, bringing a fresh pirn tube from the magazine 8| into alignment between thecenters 3', 6; The cam dtithen releases the centerfi and allows the new pirn .to.

' be gripped between the cup Band the. center-.13..

The cycle'is initiated by completion.

9 This secures the thread end held by the knife 68 and plate (I between the base of the new pirn tube and the rubber-faced collar 4. The cam 95 then allows the levers 85, 86 to return, and the cam 18 allows the knife 68 to swing out of engagement with the plates 10, H. The projection 45 on the cam 43 then raises the cam follower 46, lifting the pin 26 and, through the lever 25, pulling down the starting handle [5. The pulling down of the starting handle 15 restarts the rotation of the driving center 3 while the lifting of the pin 26 causes the lever 29 to drop and disengages the clutch driving the cam shaft l6. Winding of the fresh pirn then proceeds, and when winding is complete the cycle is repeated.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic spindleless pirn-winding machine comprising an inner driving center, an outer center, a lever extending substantially at right-angles to the line joining said centers for carrying said outer center, means for swinging said lever toward said inner center to enable said centers to co-operate to grip a pirn tube, said lever having a pivot adjustable in position in a direction parallel to said line for the gripping of tubes of different lengths, and pirn tube storing and supply means for supplying pirn tubes in line between said centers.

2. An automatic spindleless pirn-winding machine comprising an inner driving center, an outer center, a lever extending substantially at right-angles to the line joining the said centers for carrying said outer center, means for swinging said lever towards said inner center to enable said centers to cooperate to grip a pirn tube, means for adjusting the position of the pivot of said lever to enable said centers to grip tubes of different lengths, a shaft extending parallel to said line, a pirn tube magazine, a pair of depending levers on said shaft, and shaped feet on said levers adapted to swing from a position beneath said magazine upwards into alignment with said centers and to lift and transfer the lowermost tube in said magazine, the depending lever nearest said outer center being adjustable along said shaft in accordance with the position of said outer center.

3. An automatic spindleless pirn winding machine comprising an inner driving center, an outer center that is movable towards said inner center so as to cooperate therewith to grip a pirn tube, a shaft extending parallel to the line joining said centers, a magazine adapted to hold a series of pirn tubes, a pair of depending levers on said shaft, shaped feet on said levers adapted to swing from a position beneath said magazine upwards into alignment with said centers and to lift and transfer the lowermost tube in said magazine, and a claw pivotally mounted on each of said shaped feet and adapted to cooperate therewith in the idle position of said feet to retain the lowermost tube in the magazine and to swin clear of the tube during the transfer thereof.

4. An automatic spindleless pirn-winding machine comprising an inner driving center, an

outer center that is movable towards said inner center so as to cooperate therewith to grip a pirn tube, an arm extending substantially at rightangles to the line joining said centers for carrying said outer center, said arm being adjustable in a direction parallel to said line to accommodate pirn tubes of different lengths, a shaft extending parallel to said line, a pirn tube magazine, a pair of depending levers on said shaft, shaped feet on said levers adapted to swing from a position beneath said magazine upwards into alignment with said centers and to lift and transfer the lowermost tube in the magazine, the depending lever nearest said outer center being adjustable in accordance with the position of said outer center, and a claw pivotally mountedon 'each of said shaped feet and adapted to cooperate therewith in the idle position of said feet to retain the lowermost tube in the magazine and to swing clear of the tube during the transfer thereof.

5. An automatic spindleless pirn-winding ma.- chine comprising an inner driving center, an outer center, a lever extending substantially at right-angles to the line joining said centers for carrying said outer center, the said outer center being adapted by swinging of said lever towards said irmer center, to cooperate with said inner center to grip a pirn tube, means for adjusting the position of the pivot of said lever by discrete steps to enable said centers to grip tubes of different lengths, two shafts extending parallel to said line, a pirn tube magazine, a pair of depending levers on one of said shafts having shaped feed adapted to swing from a position beneath said magazine upwards into alignment with said centers and to liftand transfer the lowermost tube in said magazine, a claw pivotally mounted on each of said shaped feet and adapted to cooperate therewith in the idle position of the feet to retain the lowermost tube in the magazine and to swing clear of said tube during the transfer thereof, means for rotating the other of said shafts through a single revolution on completion of a pirn, cams on said other shaft adapted to swing the lever carrying said outer center so as to release the completed pirn, to actuate said depending levers, and to restart winding on a fresh pirn tube transferred thereby, a thread-guide return lever adapted to shift a thread-guide from the neighborhood of the outer center to the neighborhood of the inner center, said return lever being pivoted substantially below said other shaft, a further cam on said other shaft for actuating said return lever, and downwardly extending connecting means between said cam and said return lever.

WILLIAM HARRY KIMPTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,257,651 Reynolds et a1 Sept. 30, 1941 2,306,268 Kimpton Dec. 22, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 48,197 France July 20, 1937 130,390 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1929 

